Via de la Plata - 2014

Hundreds of kilometres from Santiago a faded yellow arrow provides reassurance that you are on the right track Having walked the Camino Francés (from St Jean) in 2010, the Camino Portugues (from Porto) in 2012, and parts (another story) of the Primitivo in 2013, the itch returned in the spring of 2014. We had heard that the Del Norte involved climbing most days and that it was difficult. The Via de la Plata looked more appealing but was longer and we were worried about the temperatures in the first half of the journey. We were also a bit concerned that, for a couple who had been collecting their pensions for a number of years, we may be coming a little too ambitious. In the end we decided to give it a go on the basis that if it became too much for either of us we would call a halt. The next problem was to decide on dates. The spring was out for family reasons although I am of the view that starting in the spring before it gets too hot in Andalucia is probably the ideal. It al

Entering El Real de la Jara  We finished our first day's walking shortly after noon. Apart from the villages at the beginning and end we walked on dirt tracks all the way. It was supposed to be an easy day of just 14km but we found it long and tiring with one particularly long climb. We set out just after 6:00am and had at least an hour in the dark. That made for slow progress as we had to use torches frequently to make sure we were still on the correct path. By the time we reached El Real de la Jara the temperature was well into the thirties.  We stayed at Alojamiento del Peregrino, a private hostel a little downhill from the municipal one at the entrance to the town. Bar Castro was recommended for its Menu del Peregrino and it turned out to a good choice although it required a fairly long walk to the far end of the town.  Next: Stage 2 - Real de la Jara to Monesterio  

Entering Monesterio past a monument dedicated to Iberian Ham With a walk of over 20km ahead of us we decided to set out shortly after 5:30am. We had to deal with a few short climbs early on but soon the inclines, when we came to them, were more gentle. After about 11km we reached a junction with a highway and motorway. We got through it, but a few more yellow arrows would have helped. While the last km into Monesterio was reasonably level the previous four were mostly uphill. The aim had been to avoid climbing in the heat of the afternoon and although we started the climb at noon the heat was not of the intensity of the same time yesterday. We arrived at our albergue around 2:00pm, feeling much better than we expected. Monesterio is a fair size town and the peregrino is well catered for by way places to stay and places to eat. We chose the parochial albergue which is ideally located and ranks with best we have stayed in. At some time in the past a peregrino posted a notice o

Fuente de Cantos still a long way off With no major hills to climb we decided to take an extra half hour in bed. We were on the road by 6 o'clock and made good progress although on one occasion we almost missed a crucial turn in the dark. It did become hilly towards the end but we still managed to reach our destination before 2:00pm. The final few kilometres were difficult as there was no shade and the sun was beating down on us. The albergue we had hoped to stay in, had closed and so we ended up in an apartamentos rurales for €15 each, including breakfast.  This seems like the height of luxury as we had showered and washed our clothes before going into the swimming pool at around 3:00pm. That night we ate at a nearby cafe. We shared a generous salad starter; I had fish and chips, Pauline had pizza and the cost was just €13.20, including wine and water. The closed albergue (2014) The inviting swimming pool at our accommodation Ermita Nuestra Señora de la

An early start On Sunday we were on the road by 6:00am and had reached Calzadilla de los Barros, the only village of the day, just as the sun was rising. No coffee on offer at 8:00am on a Sunday morning. We had very little shade along the remainder of the stage which started with harvested cereal fields. Later it was mostly olive groves and vineyards. We did find shelter for our rest breaks, first under some bushes at a ford, then under an olive tree and later under a fig tree. I was able to finish off my lunch with a fresh fig. We arrived at our destination at around 1.30pm having walked a total of 21km. As the albergue was more than a kilometre off route we decided to stop at a well-appointed hostal. El Monte looks like a rough and ready bar but the upstairs accommodation was excellent. We had a good meal in the restaurant. No coffee in Calzadilla de los Barros on a Sunday morning A fig tree provides shelter from the blazing sun Next:  Stage 5 - Puebla de Sancho Pe

Never touch a prickly pear This was a relatively easy day as we planned to walk just 9.5km. We seem to have missed a turn on the way into Zafra, which added a little, I also went on a short walkabout without my backpack in Zafra and we added a bit more trying to find a place to stay in Los Santos.  We left Hostal de Monte at 8:00am and were sitting down for breakfast in Zafra at   9:15am. It was about 10:10am when we started moving slowly through what is a fine small town. We then had to climb a long hill for about 3km before dropping sharply into Los Santos de Maimona. The first place of significance we came across was the town hall so we asked there about the albergue (the guidebooks seemed unsure if it was still functioning). We were told that it was still in use (at least we think that is what was said) and that we should call at the police station for the key. We were also told that there was a pension in the same direction. We had walked a long way when we found the pen

One of the many ancient olive tress we passed today We were in our albergue by 11:20am just as the day was getting really warm. After a shower we are relaxing inside. On the way into town a policeman asked us how we were and told us that it was going to reach 40C today. We are getting into a fairly good routine now. We stop every hour on the hour for a rest and refreshments - an energy bar, or a piece of fruit, or a ham roll, plus a few squares of chocolate and of course water. We start each day carrying about 2 litres of water each and drink most it. We also get through 500ml of Aquarius. We pause frequently while walking - for a drink, to take a photograph, to admire the view, to look at the animals, to help ourselves to a fig (the olives aren't ripe yet), to rest on a hill, to enjoy the shade after a long spell in the sun.   Pauline has more pauses than I do as she regularly waits for me to catch up. For our third rest period of the day, at 9:00am, we feel good if

I think we were being offered a bunch of grapes in the early morning or perhaps it was just a friendly "Buenos días" We shouldn't really be relaxing here in Almendralejo as it isn't on the Camino and doesn't even get a mention in some Camino guides. We decided we were not up to a 27km day and took a 3km detour to Hotel Espana, a fine town centre hotel which charges marginally less for one night than we would pay for two in an albergue. We left our albergue in Villafranca at 5:45am and made very good progress. We put that down to clear markings, a cool breeze, a lack of hills, and some cloud cover which kept the sun off our backs until near 10 o'clock. When we stopped for our 9 o'clock break we had already completed 11 kilometres, our best to date. That break was shorter than usual as we did not need to apply suncream  today. We witnessed a little bit of drama in the early darkness while walking on a dirt track. We both turned around when we

We could see a tree in the distance that we would reach almost two hours later This morning I realised that we are entering into our second week of walking and now that today's stage has ended, we have walked approximately 125 kilometres. We had planned another relatively short day and, with virtually no climbing with which to contend, we gave ourselves an extra hour in bed. We left the hotel at 7 o'clock and had an uneventful walk. Coming out of Almendralejo we were passed by two male Italian pilgrims who were heading for Merida. They were then going home as that was as much as they had time for this year.   Today's walk was again mostly through vineyards, where the harvest was continuing. It was warmer than yesterday but not unbearably so. The road was long and straight and for the best part of two hours our goal was to reach a tall tree on the horizon.   We are now in a very old and attractive building which was restored a few years ago to become the local a

The longest Roman Bridge leads to Merida We are getting good at this - 15km completed by 11:30am and now, five hours later, neither of us has taken to our bed. While the albergue we stayed in last night was very attractive and its menu del peregrino excellent, the area outside seemed to be a gathering place for the youth of the village who made a great deal of noise until around 1:00am. I slept through most of it but Pauline had a disturbed night. In the early morning darkness we must have missed a yellow arrow, as for the first five or six kilometres we were walking on the hard shoulder of a highway rather than on a nearby parallel pathway. For the next two or three kilometres the road was the Camino and after that we were back on a dusty pathway between vineyards. We started at 6:15am, Kevin started around 8:00am, and caught up with us just before 11:00am. By then he had completed almost 12km. Entering Merida we had to cross the longest bridge ever built by the Romans.